Repentance
by TheBookShelf
Summary: "If only they knew." Dimitri Belikov, recently imprisoned, tells the story of his Roza right from the beginning. Join him as he recounts his prodigious tale of love, woe and happiness in a series of flashbacks, finally revealing the reason behind his confinement. AH and RxD - For XxXLost-In-The-CrowdXxX's VA Contest
1. Behind Bars

**Hey guys! I'm back with another short story about Vampire Academy. This is for XxXLost-In-The-CrowdXxX's VA Contest! **

**I hope you enjoy it as much as I love writing it. By the way, this is an AH FanFiction. Gah, I keep on being distracted by Mamma Mia, which I'm obsessed with by the way. **

**Anyway, enjoy! They kind of meet in almost the same way as they do in Hand in Hand, but when I realized it was too late to change it... so let's just roll with it. Well, when I say the same... I mean that they meet in a library, but hey. I like libraries. (This story isn't like my other story, I promise with a cherry on top... or is that pretty please? Eh.)  
**

* * *

**Chapter One**

**"Behind Bars"**

* * *

Reaching out with all of my rage and fury, I wrapped my calloused hands around the wrought, cold metal bars of my prison cell. I couldn't believe that they had locked me up in here; it was absolutely absurd. _She_ was the one who deserved this life of compunction and disregard. _I_ had just reacted on instinct to protect the ones that I loved, what _she_ had done was completely and utterly unacceptable.

_If only they knew_, I thought bitterly, _then maybe I wouldn't be in this dump._

Sunlight streamed through the small window in my cell, projecting a little square of light onto the otherwise dull tiled floor. I was behind bars, for good, or at least that was what they'd told me. Shutting my eyes tightly, I thought of her. _Roza._ I thought of the way her hair felt underneath my fingertips, soft and silky as I brushed it behind her small ears. I daydreamed about her lips, about how I felt when she was wrapped up safely in my arms. When Roza was around me, I felt complete.

I was stunned when I felt a lone tear fall from my eye and slide down my cheek, leaving a wet trail in its wake. It was unusual for me to cry, in fact it was almost unheard of, but when I tasted the saltiness of the teardrop on my lips, I knew that I was indeed crying. Brushing away the moisture with my thumb, I sighed and thought back to the day that I met her, my Roza.

* * *

_Snow fell from the sky in perfect little flakes and, if I wasn't so freezing, I would have thought that it was immensely beautiful. Cupping my hands over my mouth and nose, I breathed hot air into them, hoping that it would warm my fingertips up some. However, it only worked slightly. No matter how many times I rubbed my hands together, I was still dithering in my thick leather duster. December in Montana had always been harsh, but the blizzard that was happening— that was something else entirely. _

_Spotting a library in the distance, I hurried over the street, not worrying about the non-existent traffic. Montana was like a ghost-town, it seemed that nobody was chancing the shops, they must have all been too afraid of getting snowed in. Pulling open one of the doors to the building, I shuffled in and glanced around. Nobody was in the library and that was just perfect. It was only me and the books, which meant that there were going to be absolutely no interruptions. I was completely and entirely alone with my passion_

_I didn't even have to think about where I was going, heading straight over to the western aisle, I pulled out a dusty, ancient-looking cowboy novel. Truthfully, I didn't know why I loved them so much, but I think it had something to do with the heroism. What man didn't dream of having an almost unobtainable amount of bravery? I admittedly did. _

_Settling down on the wooden floor, I pulled one leg up to my chin and let the other one lie flat on the ground. It was a position that I'd had to perfect, because, seeing as I was six foot seven, it was almost impossible for me to be graceful. Opening the thick hard-cover novel, I soon got lost in the story that was about a reckless cowboy and a damsel in distress. _

_"Hello," a soft voice, which reminded me of honey, said. _

_Glancing up from my book, I was instantly enraptured by the sickeningly beautiful woman in front of me. Her eyes were huge, dark and deer-like. They were absolutely mesmerizing, and I was certain that they had made many men stop and stare. However, they almost paled in comparison to her hair, which I would've thought to be impossible. The unnamed woman had dark brown hair, which was so dark that it seemed almost black. Falling down her back in natural waves, the strands of lustrous hair shone whenever the library's dim light caught it. I clenched my hands into fists repeatedly, trying to snuff out the desire to run my fingers through— wait, what was I thinking?_

_"Hey," I replied huskily, causing me to clear my throat in embarrassment. "Can I help you?"_

_"Oh," she blinked and then pushed the hair back from her forehead awkwardly. "Yes, actually, are you the librarian?" _

_The striking woman smiled shyly at me and held up the book that she was holding, waving it in the air like a flag. I found it odd, because upon further inspection I saw that the book was about animal behaviour, which was not the romance novel that I was expecting. Although I was not usually one to judge a book by its cover, I was surprised by her choice. Raising my left eyebrow at her, I watched as her timid smile turned envious. Odd.  
_

_"Animal Behaviour: Wolves?" I asked, jabbing a finger towards her book. "I wouldn't have guessed that." _

_"What?" She snapped, her soft voice suddenly becoming almost venomous. "I can't be interested in something? Look, I asked you a question. Will you just answer it?"_

_"No."_

_"Fine." _

_She sniffed and turned her head away from me, giving me the cheek. I almost laughed at the hilarity of her expression, almost, but I managed to stifle it, knowing that it would've offended her. Chuckling quietly under my breath, I realized how much I liked the feisty woman, there was almost no point in denying it.  
_

_"I meant, no I'm not the librarian." I snickered, my chocolate brown eyes bright with amusement. "I'm Dimitri by the way, Dimitri Belikov." _

_"Rosemarie Hathaway, but I prefer Rose." Rose declared, moving closer towards me and extending her hand out. _

_Taking her small hand in my large one, I couldn't help but notice how warm she was. Shaking her hand firmly, I returned to my novel as though I were indifferent, but honestly I was far from it. Keeping one eye trained on her, I saw Rose sit down opposite me, pulling her knees up to her chin in, what looked like, an uncomfortable position. Opening up her book about wolves, she fiddled with her hair as she read page after page, pushing the strands behind her small ears and just brushing it out of her face altogether when it became too much. _

_Rose's actions only made me ache to touch her hair myself, which left me feeling both alive, but also vulnerable. I hadn't felt the desire to become close to somebody in that way since— hell, since Tasha and that hadn't exactly ended well. In fact, I had been extremely close to Tasha, closer than I'd ever been with anyone, except she had gone behind my back with a man named Ethan Moore. Needless to say, I was the one who was left broken-hearted in that particular relationship.  
_

_"Hey, Dimitri." Rose spoke up, pulling me from my reverie. "Did you know that the alpha wolf won't let the other wolves mate?"_

_"No, I didn't actually." I admitted, closing the book on my finger like a makeshift bookmark. "Weird, huh?"_

_"Yeah, it is." She hesitated, which made me believe that something was on her mind. I was about to tell her to just come out and ask me when she beat me to it. "Dimitri, where are you from? I mean, you have a slight accent, but I can't put my finger on it." _

_"Oh, I'm from Baia, Russia." _

_Nodding her head as though she knew it all along, Rose let her gaze wander back down to her open book. Hearing her mutter facts about wolves, I couldn't stop the warm, hearty chuckle that escaped from my body and out of my mouth. Rose's soft-looking lips twitched up into an amused half-smile that was enough to make my heart rate quicken. She was cute, but I didn't think she would've liked to hear that, considering her fierce attitude and everything. Returning to my novel once more, we stayed in our positions for the majority of the night, reading in companionable silence about our two very different interests._

* * *

Sighing to myself morosely, I slumped against the cold, grey wall of my jail cell. The sound of approaching footsteps ricocheted off the corridor's brick walls, announcing that I had a visitor. Raising my left eyebrow, I turned to face the wrought iron bars that were keeping me from leaving. However, when I saw who was stood behind them, my eyes widened to the size of saucers. _Mikhail Tanner._

"Hello Dimitri," he greeted politely. "You've got a few people waiting for you in the visitor's hall."

I instantly perked up as I heard the rattling of his metal keys, he was here to finally let me out of my cell for a while. Even though it was only for a measly hour, I was still immeasurably grateful. The blank, sterile four walls of my prison were enough to send the calmest of people insane.

Glad to see the back of my claustrophobic lock-up, I allowed Mikhail to handcuff and escort me to the visitor's hall. Unfortunately, the cuffs rubbed against my wrists, making the angry sores, which I had gotten the night that I was arrested, worse. I tried to focus on something else, anything else to distract me from the pain. But the only thing that I could think about, apart from Roza, were my visitors. In all honesty, I was surprised that anybody would see me after all that I had done. I was so sure that it was a joke, set up by the officers just to torture me.

However, as soon as I entered the visitor's hall, I heard and saw for myself that I did indeed have a visitor, two visitors to be exact.

"Daddy!" I heard two childlike voices yell excitedly. There, across the room from me, were my two beautiful children.

* * *

**So, I hope you liked this first chapter. They will all be set out like this with the little flash back things. Although, only the important events. **

**I kept editing and editing the last bit, but I'm still not really happy with it. Gah. :/  
**

**Tell me what you think guys! You know you want to... ;)  
**


	2. Children

**Hey guys! Thanks for your lovely reviews, adding my story to your favourites and also for adding it to your alerts. **

**If you guys want to see a particular moment in Rose and Dimitri's relationship you can review or PM me your ideas. I have a few things that I'm certainly going to include, but I want to get you guys involved too. So... yeah, anything really. **

******Rozalie: It isn't actually, they just kind of meet in the same way. I think I just love libraries or something. :D Thanks for reviewing on this and Hand in Hand though! **

**Enjoy guys and I'm so sorry for this being late! I've been so busy at school and stuff, but I plan on putting some time aside for writing this and Hand in Hand. Here's a longer chapter for you guys!  
**

* * *

**Chapter Two **

**"Children"**

* * *

_"Daddy!" I heard two childlike voices yell excitedly. There, across the room from me, were my two beautiful children._

Feeling my lips quirk up into an undoubtedly huge grin, I stepped towards my children unthinkingly. However, before I had a chance to correct my mistake, Mikhail clamped his hand down harshly on my shoulder, pulling me back and further away from my gape-mouthed family. The police officers, who were all standing to attention, glowered at me as though I were something on the bottom of their shoe. To them, I was just another criminal, and I had committed the worse crime of them all.

"Can you control yourself?" Mikhail spat through his clenched teeth, tightening his already rough hold on my shoulders.

Whipping my head around to meet his eyes, I gave him a death glare that would make Rose Hathaway proud.

"I think I can manage." I sneered, inwardly calling him every name under the sun.

Easing his hold on my shoulders, though not completely letting go, Mikhail began to lead me past tables and tables of delinquents. As I looked at their heavily scarred and fearsome faces, I started to become nervous about my children's safety. There were around twenty officers stationed in the room, but would they be quick, or even strong enough to stop any one of them from attacking my four year old daughter or eight year old son? I hoped that it would never happen.

Pushing me roughly into the cold plastic chair opposite my family, Mikhail took the cuffs off my wrists and walked off to join the other observing officers. Judging by their distance, it seemed that they were far enough away to not hear our conversation, but close enough to stop an attack. Perfect.

Resting my hands on the table top, I wasn't surprised when Kaiya, my four year old daughter, placed her small fingers over my own. Her doe-like brown eyes, which were so much like her mothers, stared up into mine, making me want to both cry out from the familiarity but also wrap her up safely in my arms. She looked so much like my Roza that it was almost painful. Kaiya's personality was the only way you could tell that she was my daughter too. Quiet and restrained, she was almost the polar opposite to her fiery but brilliant mother. She was exactly like me.

Overshadowed by my children, I didn't notice the woman sitting next to them until she cleared her throat loudly.

"Hello, Dimitri." Lissa, Rose's best friend, greeted politely.

So Lissa was the one who had brought them here.

"Lissa," I nodded, but quickly turned my attention back to my kids.

Ivan, who had grown about an inch since the last time I'd seen him, tried his best to muster up the strength for a smile, but I knew as well as he did that it was fake. Being eight years old, he understood what was happening much better than his younger sister. He knew that the probability of me being released was as good as zero, and it had to be killing him.

"So, how are you both doing without me?" I asked, trying my best to be jovial in the devastatingly sorrowful atmosphere. "I hope that you're behaving yourselves around Lissa and Christian's."

Bouncing up and down in her chair eagerly, Kaiya began to tell me all about everything that I had missed. However, it didn't escape my notice that Ivan's face remained troubled as he repeatedly exchanged anxious glances with Lissa. Something was definitely up.

"That's great, Kaiya." I said and squeezed my daughter's fingers reassuringly. "I'm glad that you're enjoying yourself."

"I wish you were home though, dad." She whimpered slightly, again making me want to wrap her up in my arms.

Whenever she was upset, I usually made her some of her favourite hot coco with marshmallows. Then, after diligently guiding the cup up to her mouth, we would cuddle up together on the sofa with a movie of her choice. It killed me that I couldn't do that anymore. I knew that hugging Kaiya would be a bad move; the officers wouldn't be too happy to see me in such close proximity. However, seeing her bottom lip stick out and quiver, I had never wanted to do it more. It sickened me that I couldn't embrace my own children when they were upset. It was the worst thing in the world.

"I know you do honey," I sighed, reaching forwards and wiping the tears that were falling from her big brown orbs. "I wish I was back home too."

Looking at Lissa for the first time, I saw that she had aged some since I'd seen her last. Stress, I presumed, since she was the same age as Rose. They were both only a youthful twenty-seven, whereas I was thirty-four and starting to show some minor signs of ageing, though nothing drastic.

"How is she?" I questioned, my tone turning sombre. "How is Roza?"

"She's still comatose," Lissa sighed morosely. "I don't know what to do, Dimitri."

Suddenly, just as I was about to ask her what was wrong, Ivan's face turned thoughtful. Reaching forwards, he curled his long pale fingers around my wrist, dragging my attention away from Lissa. His brown eyes pleaded with me as they stared into my own. That was a sign that he wanted something from me and, since he usually didn't ask for anything, I was both surprised and interested in what he had to say.

"Can you do something for me, dad?" He asked, flipping the dark brown locks away from his face. I couldn't help the flash of annoyance that coursed through my body at that. Nobody had thought to take my son to the barbers, and I knew how he hated it to be too long. I could remember him complaining when Roza had let it grow out when he was younger.

"Anything," I answered surely.

"Can you tell me what she was like, you know, before I was born?"

Staring into both of their excited and eager faces, I knew that I couldn't possibly say no. So, I didn't. Instead, I reached forwards and held Kaiya's hand, both for her comfort and mine, and launched eagerly into the tale of my Roza.

* * *

_Rose was absolutely breath-taking. Staring at her from my truck window, I watched as she skipped towards me, the wind causing her red flowing sun-dress to blow out behind her like a cape. Her natural brown waves tumbled down her back like a waterfall, tempting me to run my fingers through the surely soft strands. I was so glad that I had convinced her to go on a date with me, otherwise I wouldn't have had the memory, the memory of her looking almost like a goddess. _

_I hoped that she'd like my surprise._

_Practically tearing open the door to my rusty truck, Rose clambered over me to get to the passenger seat, surprising me to no end. I covered my mouth with my large hand, stifling the laugh that was sure to erupt from my lips at any moment. Her face was absolutely priceless._

_"What's the matter with you?" Rose asked, bouncing up and down in excitement. _

_"I'm just happy," I replied, scratching my chin in discomfort. "I could ask you the same question though."_

_Rose huffed unwillingly in agreement and turned to stare out of the truck window. Starting up the motor, I began to drive towards our destination, basking in the warmth of the woman sitting next to me. Drumming my fingers against the steering wheel impatiently, I knew that I couldn't take it any longer. I needed to feel her hand on mine, I had to touch her in some way. Reaching over, I linked my fingers through hers, startling her some, and rested our joined hands on my thigh._

_Looking up at me in shock, Rose glanced from our joined hands to my face and back again. An adorable blush crept up her cheeks, staining them both a deep shade of crimson. I knew in that moment that nothing was more beautiful than Rose when she was feeling coy. It was a pure kind of beauty, penetrating the deepest parts of my soul and making me rapidly fall in love with her.  
_

_Both surprised and grateful that Rose didn't pull away, I enjoyed the rest of the peaceful drive in utter, indefinable elatedness. _

* * *

_Securing my tie around Rose's head like a makeshift blindfold, I led her towards the slightly rotted wooden fence. The day was going well so far, and we had only been in each other's company for ten minutes at the most. However, when I spied the muddy patches of squelchy wet soil, I realized that not all things go exactly to plan._

_Staring down at her problematic high-heeled shoes, I did the only plausible thing I could think of._

_"Wh—"_

_Bending down, I wrapped my arms around her legs, just underneath her knees. Throwing her over my shoulder, I started to carry her through the muddy field, ignoring her screams and pleas as though she wasn't even making a sound._ _Rose pounded her fists against my back angrily, but still I didn't set her down. I was sure that she'd forgive me when she saw the setting of our first date, I was sure that she would thank me even._

_"Dimitri!" Rose screeched, fumbling with the knotted tie behind her head. "Let me down!"_

_Rolling my eyes, I wound one of my arms around her back, pulling her up from being tossed over my shoulder. Rose sighed to herself gratefully, thinking that she was about to be put down, but, unfortunately for her, I only changed her position. Instead, I was carrying her in an almost bridal style, meaning that her face was only a mere inch from mine._

_Feeling her warm breath on my face, I felt the sudden urge to stop dead and kiss her full, rosy red lips. That paired with our general closeness was almost too much to bear. The only thing stopping me from closing the distance between our lips was the fear of scaring her off. So, instead of kissing her senseless, I kept walking and walking until, finally, we reached our destination._

_"Okay," I sighed. "We're here now."  
_

_"Will you let go of me now?" She questioned almost angrily. I could tell that Rose was frustrated about being treated like a damsel in distress, but I hoped that my surprise would make her forget about it all. After all, we had gotten off to such a good start.  
_

_"Never," I growled huskily in her ear. Seeing her shiver in pleasure, I smirked smugly to myself, reaching behind her head to undo the knot in my tie._

_Rose, seeing the scene before her, gasped outright in shock. Admittedly, the sight was impressive, which was why I picked it out for our picnic in the first place. The meadow's floor was peppered with tiny flowers of all different colours, there were reds, yellows, blues, making the field bright and almost bringing it to life. A small distance away was a babbling stream, filling the meadow with the soothing soundtrack of waves flowing together in synchronisation. Even I could appreciate it's beauty, though, in my eyes, it was nothing compared to the woman in my arms._

_"It's— it's beautiful, Dimitri." Rose stuttered, tearing her eyes away from the scene in front of her. "Thank you."_

_Wrapping her arms around my neck, Rose pulled herself up and gently pressed her lips against my cheek. Feeling my heart rate increase and then suddenly stop, I wondered for a moment whether I was dead. Pulling away, Rose chuckled at my startled expression. However, when her eyes met mine, she suddenly fell silent._

_I didn't know what she saw in them exactly, but something seemed to almost possess her. Fisting my collar in her hands, she roughly pulled my mouth to hers. Our lips moved together for a while in synchronisation, deepening and then lessening both in pressure and intensity. Gently nibbling her soft lower lip, I grinned against her mouth when I heard her moan in ecstasy. Not caring anymore about her shoes, I set her down on the floor and buried my fingers into her heaven-sent hair, finally feeling for myself how soft it was.  
_

_I__—_  


* * *

The feeling of warm, long fingertips wrapping around my wrist pulled me from my memories. Lissa, seeming both regretful and frightened, stared down at her fingers before finally meeting my eyes for the first time.

"Dimitri," she said hesitantly. "Something has been bothering me. I didn't bring the children just to see you."

Exchanging a look with Ivan, Lissa swallowed thickly and turned to face me once more. Seeming as anxious as Lissa, Ivan twisted his hands together in his lap, linking and then unlinking his fingers in that unusual nervous habit of his. I couldn't help but worry, what was making my calm, level-headed son become so nervous? The news couldn't be good.

"It's _her._ Tasha is battling for custody."

* * *

**Muahahahahahahaa. What's going on?! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and sorry for not updating for like two weeks and a bit. I had school and stuff... sigh. :D **

**So, in case you didn't read it earlier, tell me if you want a particular scene between Rose and Dimitri. I'd love to get you guys involved!  
**

**Anyway, thanks for reading!  
**


	3. The Baby

**Hi guys! Sorry for taking so long to update and stuff. School is... well, being its usually busy self. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this! I'm also sorry if it's a bit confusing, the reason behind Rose being in a coma and the reason for Dimitri's hatred of Tasha won't be revealed until near the end.  
**

**If you guys want to see any scenes with Rose and Dimitri just review or PM me it, I'm more than happy to put it in. **

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**"The Baby"**

* * *

"_It's her. Tasha is battling for custody."_

Pulling back from my children's hands, I gripped the cheap plastic table tightly, taking all of my rage and fury out on the substandard piece of furniture. Kaiya, with concern etched across her childlike features, reached towards me and placed her warm, chubby fingers on my cheek. The distress was plain to see on her face, which infuriated me more than anything. Kaiya wasn't supposed to be upset, she was supposed to be a normal, safe and cared for child. Hell, she deserved it.

It angered me so much that I didn't give a damn about the rules anymore.

Scraping my chair back noisily, I knelt down on the dust covered floor and pulled my children towards me. Ivan, oddly losing his usual cool, soon wrapped his long, spindly arms around my neck and embraced me properly for the first time since he was five. Resting her head in the crook of my neck, I felt Kaiya's hot tears as they leaked from her eyes and slid down my shoulder. It was hard for them both, I realised. They didn't have the comfort of either of their parents. I was in prison and Rose... Rose was in a coma.

I held them closer to me, feeling silent tears of my own form in the corners of my eyes. Stroking Kaiya's hair and patting Ivan's back, I allowed my thoughts to wander for a moment. I let myself think about Tasha, about how she used to be around me and about how she changed for the worse. Our relationship, though it wasn't as strong as mine and Rose's, was still serious. Tasha was my high school sweetheart; she was the one who I had given everything to. However, somewhere along the line Tasha became the girlfriend from hell. Following my every move, I found that she always had to know where I was going and who I was going with. I still didn't understand her actions, because, even though she was the clingy girlfriend, Tasha decided to cheat on me with a man named Ethan Moore.

"It's okay, Ivan." I cooed, rubbing soothing circles on his back. "I won't let her get to you, okay? Even if I have to break out of this prison, I will make sure that you don't have to go and live with Tasha."

As I watched Ivan nod his head reluctantly, I wished that Tasha didn't have the right to gain custody over him. However, the truth was that she did and, even though I told my son that I'd help him, I knew that nobody would listen. Who would believe a renegade prisoner over a seemingly down to earth woman? They didn't know what I knew.

"Will she try and get to me too?" Kaiya whispered in my ear.

"No, she can't get custody over you." I reassured her, tapping her playfully on the nose. "You have to stay with Lissa."

"Why can't she?"

I looked into Kaiya's wide, warm brown eyes and knew that I had to tell her. She may have only been four years old, but she was an intelligent one. I took a deep and steadying breath.

"Well—"

* * *

_Throwing myself onto the leather sofa, I wound my arm around Roza and pulled her tightly to my side. We had been dating for three months, meaning that we'd reached a level in our relationship where we trusted one another wholly. Gently pressing my lips to Rose's head, I smiled as I felt her shiver with pleasure. I loved the effect I had on her. Though, she admittedly had the same effect on me._

_Sitting there with Roza cuddled up in my arms, I thought that nothing could possibly go wrong. I was safe; she was safe; everybody was ecstatic._

_However, I couldn't be more wrong._

_Suddenly, a knock, so powerful that it reverberated through the whole house, sounded at my door. Whoever it was didn't seem to be in the happiest of moods. In fact, I was slightly afraid of opening the front door myself; it would allow the angry visitor to enter my home and inevitably get to my Roza. Shaking the thought off, I inwardly chanted that I would never let anybody hurt her. _

_Rose, looking over at me inquisitively, widened her already bambi-like eyes at my frightened expression. I shook my head at her, hoping to ward off her worry. There was no point in making her anxious; it wasn't like I owed any drug money or anything else of the sort. There was no reason for somebody to knock on my door like that. Getting up off of the sofa, I made my way over to the front door and swung it open, trying my best to make myself seem threatening._

_However, when I opened the door and saw nothing but a downpour, my tense shoulders immediately sagged and the breath that I'd been holding left my body. I was about to slam the door closed when I heard a dim wailing over the noisy and heavy rain. Glancing down at my undeniably huge feet, I was stunned at what I saw._

_It was a baby._

_It was a real, living, breathing and crying infant._

_Looking around frantically for its mother, I was frightened to admit that I couldn't find her. But, the truth was that there were no parental figures in sight. The baby's parents had completely abandoned him or her and, by the looks of it, the infant was still a newborn. I reached down and grabbed the Moses basket, which the baby was in, and hauled it into the warm and dry living room. I was not expecting him or her to be so heavy, the child reminded me of myself when I was a newborn. My mother had always commented on my weight as an infant, saying that I was way heavier than I was supposed to be. Placing the basket next to Roza, I watched as her previously scared expression turned into one of shock._

_"This is a baby," Rose whispered and instinctively picked the whimpering baby up from its basket. "I was expecting a thug, not a baby." _

_Then, I noticed it. A small card fluttered to the sofa from where it was stuck to the child's blue clothing. Roza saw it too, but she was too preoccupied with the baby to care. Picking it up, I hastily scanned the scrawled writing and instantly felt nauseous. Feeling myself turn green, I turned to face Roza and waved the small, rectangular card in the air.  
_

_"Well, what does it say?" Rose cooed in a baby-friendly voice, though I could tell that she was nervous. _

_"This belongs to you," I read monotonously. "Believe it or not, he is yours and I don't need, or want, the constant reminder of what I've lost. Tasha."_

_I knew that anger wouldn't solve anything, but I couldn't help it. What Tasha did was unacceptable... and that was when I started talking__ incessantly_. 

_"I can't believe she did this to a child, a newborn at that. She just left him in the cold and if this child is mine..." I ranted furiously, inwardly cursing Tasha with every name under the sun. However, when my eyes landed on Rose, I stopped instantly.  
_

_Literally gobsmacked, Rose's eyes fell from my face to the—my—child's. Swallowing thickly, she handed me the wriggling and gurgling baby. However, she was still not overly calm. Roza placed her head in her shaking hands, trying to simultaneously even her breathing. It didn't seem to be working, looking past her deep and heavy panting, I could see that she was growing pale._

_ Just as I was about to call an ambulance, she seemed to wake up. _

_"Do you—Do you think he's yours?" Rose stuttered and worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "I mean, you told me about Tasha before, you said that she had an affair with that Ethan guy."_

_Staring down at the boy's wide brown eyes, which were the same colour as mine, I suddenly had no doubts. He was the perfect blend of Tasha and me. The boy had snow white skin like Tasha, but he had my hair and eye colour. I remembered thinking earlier about how much he was like me, judging by how much he weighed. Even though I was sure that I was his father, I wanted to be on the safe side. I was still going to get a paternity test. Nodding my head, I watched in silent glee as her face softened drastically. It seemed that Rose was being supportive of me. _

_"Well, I'm not going to tell you some blatant lie about how I'm absolutely fine with this, because truthfully I'm not." She admitted, however, after a moment's hesitation, she placed her soft hand on my forearm. "I promise to try though. I care about you too much, Dimitri, and I'm not going to let your past change that. I'm willing to try… that is if you are?" _

_"I'd—I'd love to try." I stammered and looked down at my child to hide my blush. "I'm sorry about this. Tasha didn't even tell me that she was pregnant. Hell, the boy could be Ethan's for all I know."_

_Rose's lips crept up into a grin as she stroked my son's face gently. The boy let out a tinkling giggle, which reminded me somewhat of a ringing bell. _

_"I know that you don't believe that." She said. "What are you going to call him? I don't think he has a name."_

_"I don't have a clue."_

_Stroking her chin with her thumb and forefinger, Rose's face suddenly lit up like a light bulb. _

_"You should call him Ivan." She suggested enthusiastically. "You told me that your childhood friend's name was Ivan."_

_Beaming down at her excited face, I realised that I would do anything to please Roza. Though, I did honestly like the name Ivan. Nodding my head at her in approval, I kissed her affectionately on the forehead._

_"I think it's perfect."_

* * *

**So, instead of ending it back in the prison, I left it here. I hope you liked the chapter and I'm so sorry I couldn't get it up sooner than now. Thanks for the reviews and stuff!  
**

**Hand in Hand will be up soon, hopefully by this weekend sometime.  
**

**Anyway, enjoy the rest of your weekend guys!  
**


	4. Hauled Away

**OMGIAMSOSORRYPLEASEFORGIVEME ASDFGHMPH.**

**I'm back with the next chapter! WOOH! Finally. For the record, this would have been up sooner. However, I got distracted and made a fishfinger sandwich with ketchup. Yum.**

**Anyway, hope you like the chapter, I tried to make it family fluff, and thanks so much for your fantastic reviews! I'm so sorry that it has been practically forever.  
**

**By the way, some of the prison stuff may be inaccurate. I have never been to prison and I have never visited one... so, erm. I'm kind of basing this on really old movies here, that's why I have really stereotypical prisoners. :S  
**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**"Hauled Away"**

* * *

"Alright," Mikhail said gruffly, pulling me away from my children. "I think that's enough, you know what our policies are, Belikov."

Smiling at Kaiya and Ivan reassuringly, I allowed the guards to haul me away from my family and back to my cell. I had broken one of their most important rules. In prison, it was forbidden to make contact with visitors and, since they allowed me to touch my children's faces, they had already been pretty lenient with me. However, embracing them… well, that was something else entirely. It wasn't acceptable.

Frustrated, but still controlled, I gritted my teeth as I was escorted down the familiar, dull corridors. The prisoners, with their stereotypical scars and shaved heads, snarled at the guards threateningly as we passed. I shook my head. I hoped that no amount of time in prison would make my manners disappear like theirs obviously had, that is if they had any to start with. Suddenly coming to a stop, I was thrown violently back into my small cell. They weren't being gentle, that was for sure, but then again why would they be?

Clinging onto the cold, metallic bars, I closed my eyes and thought about anything, anything to distract me from my own living hell.

* * *

_Taking care of a baby was as hard as I thought it would be. There were many difficulties actually, but they were mostly financial. Where was I supposed to get the money to provide him with diapers and food? I mean, I hardly had enough to live on myself. Ivan cried too – a lot. I found myself having to get up at least once every night, if not more times. Initially, I was fine with it, it was to be expected after all. However, after several interruptions, it soon became, well, frustrating.  
_

_It was frustrating, but then there were times when, after a night feed or a nappy change, he would smile up at me in gratitude. Those moments made me realise something. They made me realise that I would __never stop trying. I would work through all of my problems,__ even tak__ing__ up a second, hell, a third job __if I had to__, and I would be perfectly fine doing it, happy even._

_Roza was a huge help too. She told me that her best friend, Lissa, had a baby not too long ago with her husband. Lissa and Christian, even though they were very young, made great parents. However, whenever they wanted some alone time, they didn't hesitate to ask Rose to babysit, though it was apparently very rare. The baby-sitting sessions meant that taking care of children came naturally to Rose, as natural as breathing would. Even though she shrugged me off every time I mentioned it, I was pretty sure that she was just a maternal person anyway._

_By the time that Ivan was two years old, he was able to speak in definite sentences, though admittedly, they were sometimes stuttered, especially when he tried to pronounce the letter 'w'. It meant that, instead of wailing, he told us exactly what he wanted and how he wanted it too. He was a terror alright and he never did anything I told him to. However, whenever Rose, whom I was still going strong with, was around, he was golden. _

_Even though Ivan was only two years old, I had to, and did, tell him about Tasha. I left out all of the bad parts of course, but I felt that Ivan had the right to know who his real mother was. What I wasn't expecting was his response. Totally adamant about the subject, Ivan disagreed with me completely, even going as far as stomping his foot. As far as he was concerned, Rose was his one and only mother. He wasn't silent about his decision either. Understandably, I was worried at first. I didn't want Rose to be too uncomfortable, she was still young and had her whole life ahead of her. She was twenty and I was seven years older than her, with a two year old son to top it all off. Surely, she didn't want to be tied down at such a young age. _

_One day, after an outing to the swimming pool, I realised that my worry wasn't necessary. _

_To Roza, it didn't matter that Ivan wasn't her flesh and blood. Without a doubt, he was her son and if anybody tried to dispute it, well, they would probably end up with a missing limb.  
_

* * *

_"Ivan!" I raised my voice, hoping that he'd finally listen. "Come back here now, otherwise we won't ever go swimming __again__."_

_As per usual, Ivan didn't listen to one word that came out of my mouth. Instead, he ran off, out of the door and into the women's changing rooms, in only a towel to top it all off. Practically fuming with anger, I followed him out of the men's changing rooms and headed over to a friendly looking woman with a teenage daughter. Luckily, I had decided to get __myself dress__ed first, otherwise I would've been talking to a woman with only swimming trunks on, which wouldn't have been very gentlemanly of me __to say the least__. I cleared my throat, making the woman and the girl's head snap up in shock. _

_"I'm sorry to __disturb you__, but my son just ran into the women's changing rooms." I started to explain. "I suppose he __did it because – well, he did it to wind me up – but, he probably wanted to find my girlfriend, Roza, too.__"_

_The woman nodded her head in understanding. "I'm so glad my daughter was well-behaved as a child." She bragged, causing the teenager to blush a brilliant shade of red. "Not to worry, I'll go–"_

_However, we were soon interrupted by the angel-like voice of my son. _

_"I'm sorry, Mommy." Ivan apologised sweetly, making himself seem way more innocent than he actually was. "I w-wanted to be w-with you."_

_Turning around to find the little devil himself, I came face to face with Rose. Balanced on her hip and clinging to her like a wet t-shirt, Ivan looked back to me, his eyes wide and apologetic. __He opened his mouth, about to apologise to me I presumed, but instead I silenced him by shaking my head. Holding my arms out, I took him off Roza and held him close __to me__. He was only two years old and everything he did was forgiveable. More than anything, he needed me to show him that I loved him, even when he did something wrong. _

_"Just don't do it again, okay?" __I said, pushing the still-wet hair away from his face. _

_Ivan nodded eagerly, glad that I had forgiven him. Even though he was sorry, I was sure that he'd be back to his troublesome self in no time at all. Reaching down, I grabbed Rose's hand and intertwined our fingers. I watched her blush as I pecked her lovingly on the cheek and thanked her for finding Ivan. Throughout the whole of our exchange, the woman grinned, but the teenager seemed almost... was that envy? Waving goodbye to the newly-contented Ivan, the woman dragged her daughter away and left the building, giving me no time at all to apologise for wasting her time.  
_

_"__I suppose it's time to go," I suggested, but when I turned to Roza, I realised that she was frozen. _

_Following her icy glare, I saw a woman standing in the doorway. The woman must have been around forty years old; her height and doe-like brown eyes were s__o familiar__, __and then I understood why. She looked so much like Rose,__ but that was impossible. There was no way that the fiery-haired, tight-lipped woman in the doorway was related to Roza. She seemed too cold, too emotionless to even be associated with her, let alone be related by blood. _

_Ivan, not knowing what was wrong with the woman he saw as his mother, reached out and placed his small hand on her cheek. __Rose was like ice, frozen, but when Ivan's hand connected with her face, she seemed to melt a little. _

_"Mommy, w-what's w-wrong?" Ivan asked curiously. _

_The woman, who I presumed was Rose's mother, suddenly smirked. Actually, even though I hated it when Roza was in the least bit upset, I was curious. She had always skirted around the topic of her mother. She had always said that she wasn't worth discussing, that she wasn't worth the time or the breath. Looking at her, I could understand why. _

_"So, you got pregnant then?" Rose's mother questioned, though she didn't sound angry, happy or upset. She just sounded unaffected. "I'm not surprised. You must have been what, seventeen?" _

_"I didn't get pregnant," Roza defended herself, snapping at her mother. "__It's not like you care, seeing as Dad and I haven't heard a word from you for __last __five years. __You shouldn't talk to me like that anyway, you were pregnant with me when you were twenty. That's pretty young too."_

_"__So, he's not your son." She stated, her voice as cold as snow. "You're not that boy's mother."_

_Ivan whimpered softly, he was so quiet that I was sure Rose's mother wouldn't have heard it. However, whether or not Roza heard, well, I wasn't as certain. Burying his head into the crook of my neck, Ivan hid himself from the heartless woman before him, whom he certainly would've called his grandma had she been any sweeter. I ran my fingers through his hair soothingly, trying to calm him down so that he wouldn't sob, at least not until we were the rid of her. _

_I never had asked Roza about Ivan. I'd never asked whether she was okay with him calling her 'Mommy'. So, I certainly didn't know that she felt so passionate about the subject. So passionate that she was able to stand up to her mother, whom she must have feared to have frozen up in the first place._

_"I am 'that boy's' Mommy, and don't you dare tell him any different." Roza exploded, her eyes fiery with passion and rage. "Ivan may not be my flesh and blood, but he is still my son. __I love him as much as I will love the children that I give birth to myself. It will always be that way too, even if Dimitri and I break up. I'm his mother and, even though I'm not perfect, I'm a better one than you." _

_Rose, leaving her mother speechless and slack-mouthed, strode out of the building with me following closely behind. Grabbing her elbow, I stopped her in her tracks and spun her around to face me. However, I soon wished I hadn't, because what I saw was devastating. Roza's red cheeks were moistened with hot angry tears, and I hated seeing them there. Setting Ivan down on the floor, I gave him a look, which hopefully told him not to go anywhere. I kept my fingers crossed that he would actually listen to me this time, seeing as his mother was upset.  
_

_Wrapping my arms around Roza's shoulders, I pulled her close towards me, rubbing her back soothingly as she let all of her frustration out. She carried on crying silently into my chest, which was so strange and out of character for her. Roza never cried and that only made me much more worried. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, I stepped back and gazed into her eyes for a second, before deeming it okay to have a conversation with her. _

_"__Thank you," I whispered. _

_Staring up at me quizzically, she tried to raise one of her eyebrows, but failed once again. Grinning at her attempt, I couldn't believe how lucky I was. Roza was so, so beautiful, both inside and out. Her soul, her heart, her beauty they were all so awe-inspiring, and I couldn't believe that she was actually mine.  
_

_"What do you mean?" Rose asked. _

_"Thank you for being Ivan's mother." I explained, reaching out and caressing her rosy-red cheek. "I don't know what he'd, or I would, do without you. I love you, Roza." _

_I cupped my hand around her elbow and gently kissed her on the lips. Even though I had to keep it short, seeing as Ivan was still around, I tried to put in as much love as I could, because I did love her. I loved her more than my own life. Pulling away, I grinned at her and turned around, grabbing Ivan's hand. _

_"So, are you okay to walk home, little man?" I said, swinging our joined hands. _

_Glancing down at the towel that was still wrapped around his body, he gazed up at me and raised his eyebrow questioningly. I was both shocked and amused. He looked so much like me when he did that. Rolling my eyes, I pointed to our house on the end of the street. It was probably only thirty seconds away, if that. Hoping that he wouldn't pull a temper tantrum, I suggested that he wait until we got home to get changed.  
_

_"I'm sorry, Ivan." I said, shaking my head. "With everything going on, I forgot to take you to the changing rooms. Our house is only over there though, remember?"  
_

_Nodding his head enthusiastically, Ivan began to tug on my hand and run in the direction of our home. Maybe he really was getting better. Being two, Ivan had started to throw temper tantrums. Luckily they weren't too bad, most of the time. However, sometimes he kicked, screamed and even held his breath, which was the scariest one of them all.  
_

_"Daddy, can I have dinosaurs for tea again?" He asked, his eyes big and pleading.  
_

_It hurt me to do, but I shook my head no. "Rose is stopping tonight, Ivan. We're going to have a family meal together, which unfortunately doesn't involve turkey dinosaurs."  
_

_"I w-want dinosaurs!" Ivan screamed, stomping his foot and crossing his arms. "I'm having dinosaurs!"  
_

_To me, standing in his towel with a scowl on his baby-like face, he just looked hilarious. However, I couldn't let him know that. Unlocking the front door, I gently nudged him into the house and walked inside. God, I loved my family._

* * *

I slumped against the wall, sighing morosely, as the memory had ended and I was back to the dire reality of prison. I needed to escape, I needed to see Rose, even for just one last time. She had done so much for me, and I couldn't even be there when she needed me most. In the cell opposite mine, a man with messy brown hair and emerald green eyes smiled at me reassuringly. I raised my eyebrow, surprised when he leaned forwards and started to talk to me.

"It does get better, you know." He called over, trying to reassure me it seemed. "I've been here now for five months and I've gotten used to it. My name is Adrian, by the way, Adrian Ivashkov."

"Dimitri Belikov," I replied, grateful that I at least had someone to talk to. "What are you in here for?"

Running a hand through his tousled hair, Adrian sighed, probably deliberating whether or not to tell me. I tried to smile like he had earlier, warm and reassuring. However, I wasn't sure how well I did. Judging by his amused face, it definitely wasn't my best attempt. I probably looked more pained than trustworthy. Settling back against the wall, I waited in silence, deciding that he would tell me in his own time, that is if he wanted to.

"I should have been in here a long time ago," he admitted, trying to make a joke out of his imprisonment. He took a deep breath. "Seriously, I just kind of went off the rails, I guess. I've always been a bit unhinged. My friends always joked about it, saying that I had 'darkness', because I drank a lot of alcohol and then went into a blind rage. One night, I had a lot to drink and it was just, well, really bad I guess. I've been sentenced to three years in prison."

I nodded, thinking about how I wouldn't be able to leave in three years time. I most-likely wouldn't ever be able to leave, unless the unthinkable happened and I was actually successful when I went to court. However, that was highly unlikely. They wouldn't listen to me, they hadn't when they arrested me, so they weren't going to at my hearing either.

"If you don't mind me asking," Adrian began nervously, tousling his hair again. "How did you get here?"

Staring at Adrian, I decided that I needed a confidant. If I did get a life sentence, or a very long one, having him with me for three years would make prison that little bit more bearable. Taking a deep breath, I turned away from him, unable to look at him in the eye when confessing.

"I killed somebody," I blurted out, putting my head in my hands. "Please understand. I had to do it, I had to protect my family."

* * *

**DUN DUN DUN! **

**Ahem. I hope you guys don't hate my decision, but technically it was self defence... meaning that Dimitri still has a chance, right? I've been researching this stuff for the story, but please tell me if it's wrong. Jees, if anybody checked my internet history. Ugh, wow.  
**

**There are only like seven chapters left to this story and I have a feeling that you're going to like the next one. MAJOR FLUFF. Uhm... it should be up tomorrow, because I'm trying to finish... or very nearly finish... this story by November the first.  
**

**Tell me your feelings guys, I'd love to hear from you all! :)  
**


	5. Something Borrowed

**Okay, when I said tomorrow... what I really meant was two weeks from tomorrow. Obviously. I'm sorry guys! You see I've been busy because...  
**

**By day, I revise, but by night, I write.**** Ooh. That rhymed, it should be my motto or something. **

**Ahem. Enjoy this, and thanks to my lovely reviewers, followers and favourit(ers)? **

**Nellyrose1994:**** Thanks for your reviews! Erm, in answer to your question, Kaiya (the daughter) is actually Rose and Dimitri's child. However, Ivan is Dimitri and Tasha's. So they're like half-brother and sister. That's why Tasha only has the right to gain custody over him, but not Kaiya. It's highly unlikely that she'll get it though, considering she abandoned him. As for the person who he killed... well, it will all be revealed.**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**"Something borrowed"**

* * *

Adrian gasped in shock, but surprisingly didn't say anything horrible or judgemental. I deserved it though, I had killed a man after all. It didn't matter that I'd been defending myself and my family. I still had somebody's blood on my hands, though they were far from innocent. Taking a deep breath, I turned back around to see Adrian, looking at me with sympathy written plain across his features.

"Dimitri, what – what happened?" Adrian asked, stuttering over his words nervously.

I shook my head, not wanting to talk about _the incident_ with a man who I had only just met. Adrian huffed, noticing my discomfort.

"Fine, you don't have to tell me that." He said, trying to make me say something, anything. "You said you were trying to protect your family when you– when it happened. Do you have a wife... children, maybe?"

Grateful for the change in subject, I shuffled closer to the bars of my cell and turned to face Adrian. I hadn't been aware that I was getting emotional, but one look from my cell-mate told me otherwise. Trying to get a hold of myself, I watched as his emerald-green eyes grew soft and sympathetic. Odd, I thought, that he was feeling sympathetic towards a murderer. I felt sick. I didn't deserve Adrian's sympathy, not at all.

"I had it all, Adrian, before I got put in here. I have these two beautiful children, Ivan and Kaiya, and they actually came to see me today. But, like usual, I ruined everything. My time with them was cut short, because I broke the prison's rules and hugged them." I sighed, glancing down at my hands that were folded in my lap. "It just hurt that I couldn't hug my children when they were so upset. I totally lost control of myself. Maybe it was stupid of me to break the rules, but the guards didn't even give me a chance to say goodbye to them. I didn't get to say goodbye."

Rubbing my exhausted eyes, I started to tell him all about my love.

"I have a wife too, Rose Hathaway." Hearing Adrian gasp, I paused and cocked my head to one side, utterly confused. Shaking his head, he motioned for me to carry on, and so I did. "She's beautiful, both inside and out, through and through. We've been together now for, hell, eight years and she's the mother to both of my children, even though she only gave birth to one herself."

I sighed and looked down at my hands again.

"She's... she's in a coma now though, and I can't go and see her, because I'm in this prison. It kills me, Adrian. I've never felt so powerless. She needs me, but I can't see her. I can't hold her hand and try to wake her up."

Falling deadly silent, I glanced up from my folded hands and instantly locked eyes with Adrian. He seemed devastated, which shocked me at first, because he didn't really know me and he certainly didn't know Rose, or at least I thought he didn't. Adrian's face was no longer sympathetic. Instead, he looked like he was being tortured, like he was being burned from the inside out. It seemed to me that the news was affecting him on a more personal level, which just left me perplexed.

"I knew Rose, back in high school." He offered, sensing my confusion. "In fact, I dated her for a while, but we broke up because it wasn't really working out between us. I– Dimitri, would you do me a huge favour? I'd really like to hear about what happened to her after we left school. What was she like on your wedding day? What was she like when she was with your children? If you don't want to tell me that's fine, I totally understand. It's just, well, we didn't keep in contact like we'd promised. I probably won't ever get the chance to hear about her again."

Adrian rubbed his forehead tiredly and sighed. I couldn't help but feel for him, he seemed completely lost and heartbroken. Suddenly, there was no doubt in my mind, Adrian still loved Rose or, at the very least, cared for her. I nodded my head in sympathy and watched as his face brightened up some, though he certainly wasn't back to his usual perky self. Deliberating for a moment, I decided to answer his first question and told him about our wedding, starting from the very beginning.

* * *

_"Where are we going, comrade?" Rose whined, tugging at my hands, which were acting as a blindfold. "Would you just tell me already?"_

_I chuckled, but still kept my hands over her eyes. There was absolutely no way that I was caving, at all. So instead, I told her that we were nearly there, and I wasn't lying either. The library, which was where we had first met, was just around the corner. I couldn't help but wonder if she'd remember it. The old building was an important place to me and, seeing as I was about to do, well, something special there, I hoped that it was important to her too. Otherwise, she'd probably kill me._

_Guiding her up the steps, I opened one of the double doors and gently nudged her into the building. Taking a deep breath, I removed my hands, hoping that she would at the very least like how I'd decorated the library. I had set up a kind of candle-lit runway, leading to the western section, where we'd had our first encounter. Then, once you reached the aisle in question, I had set up some pillows for us to sit on as we ate the meal that I'd prepared. I really had tried hard, but it was a gamble. Maybe I should have just booked a restaurant, after all that was what normal boyfriends did. Rose, seeing her surroundings for the first time, gasped out loud and spun around. Placing a hand on either side of my head, she stood up on her tiptoes and gave me a quick kiss._

_"You did this for me?" She asked, incredulous. "It's even dangerous, all of those candles must be a fire hazard."_

_"I suppose they are," I admitted; I hadn't even thought about it. "We'll be careful though."_

_Shaking her head in disbelief, Roza grabbed my hand and led me down the candle-lit runway. She was excited, I could tell. The fact that she was almost running, told me all that I needed to know. Roza loved it, just like I'd expected her to. It made me happy, ecstatic even, because it seemed that my gamble wasn't an entire disaster after all. Stopping short, she stared at the pillows and blankets that I'd laid down. However, her eyes lingered the most on the food. I chuckled. That was my Roza for you._

_"Dimitri, this is amazing." Rose sighed. "This is the exact spot where we met, why are we allowed to be here on our own? Surely, the library should be open still?"_

_However, I ignored her question, dragging her down onto one of the blankets with me instead. In a matter of fact, Rose was right, the library was indeed supposed to be open. Yuri, who happened to be my good friend, was the owner of the library and, after hearing about what I was going to do, he'd happily given the keys to me for the night._

_Handing her a serving of Greek salad, I watched in amusement as she scowled at the healthy food. She really did hate everything that wasn't covered in chocolate. I rolled my eyes at her and dangled a box in front of her face, a box full of chocolate-glazed doughnuts. Hopefully, that made up for the cold food._

_Her faith in me restored, Roza wolfed down her salad, trying her best not to screw her face up too much while she ate it._

_"Roza, you don't have to eat it, you know." I told her, taking the bowl from her hands. "I only made it because you can eat it cold. If I'm honest, I wasn't expecting you to eat it. You never eat healthily. Here, you can have a doughnut."_

_Grabbing a doughnut out of the box, I handed her the sweet treat, smiling when she didn't even take a glance at it. Hungry and in need of sustenance, Roza crammed half of the doughnut into her mouth, her warm brown orbs going crossed eyed as she spied something on the end of her dessert. There, held on only by the chocolate glazing, stood a ring. Roza's mouth slackened, forming a perfectly round 'o'. She grinned up at me, hopeful, but confused._

_"Yes, Roza." I chuckled, plucking the ring off the top of the doughnut. "It is exactly what it looks like."_

_Putting my dish down on the floor, I wound my arm around Rose's waist and pulled her towards me. Taking her hand in mine, I stared deeply into her eyes, trying to convey my seriousness and also my love. I was a bit frightened, because there was only one answer that I wanted. Yes._

_"Roza, you are the mother of my child, you are the love of my life." I stated, kissing her cheek affectionately. "When we first met here, in this very spot, I was certain, even then, that I loved you. I want to spend my whole life with you, Roza. I want to grow old together and have more children too, if you'd like. However, I want to do it right. Will you marry me, Roza?"_

_On the outside, I looked as cool as a cucumber, but on the inside... well, I was going crazy. Every second that ticked by without an answer was hell, literally. However, at last, Rose's shocked expression turned into one of delight. Flinging her arms around my neck, Rose fastened her lips with mine, kissing me with a passion that could've easily set a house on fire. Pulling back, she bit her lip and nodded._

_"Yes, comrade. Of course I will marry you." She said softly, her eyes like molten chocolate. "Sure, you're a bit of a goof-ball at times, but there's nothing I want more than to be your wife."_

_Elated, I slid the ring onto my fiancée's finger, chuckling when she eagerly reached for the remains of her doughnut. Oh, Roza._

* * *

_Standing at the altar, I was a bundle of nerves and excitement as I waited for the organ to play, announcing the arrival of my bride. The church was full of people, so many people that I was sure our whole town had turned up. Even my family were there, having flown in from Russia for the special occasion. I smiled. It was an understatement to say that they were excited to meet Rose and Ivan in person. It wasn't just my family though. Rose's father was there to support her too, but her mother was still nowhere in sight and, even though it pained me to say, I wasn't surprised. _

_Interrupting my thoughts, Christian stepped forwards and clapped me on the shoulder, giving me his usual smirk. Over the years, he and I had become great friends, which was why he stood by my side on my wedding day, he was my best man. Leaning towards me, Christian whispered something into my ear._

_"They're nearly ready, man." He informed me, making my stomach twist with excitement. "Are you ready?"_

_I nodded, not capable of any words, and started to straighten up my black tie. Wanting to look my best for Rose, I attempted to tidy up my hairstyle too, but it seemed to be an impossible task. My hair was pulled away from my face with a simple hair tie, however strands still managed to come loose, framing my face and tickling my freshly shaved chin._

_Too caught up in my own little world, I almost didn't notice when the organ started to play, making the guests all get to their feet. Craning their necks, they were all eager to catch a glimpse of the bride, just like I was. However, Lissa was the first person to walk down the aisle. Dressed in a soft green dress to match her eyes, she practically danced down the aisle, as graceful and stunning as ever. Beside me, I heard Christian's sharp intake of breath and couldn't help but smile. They loved each other so much._

_I didn't have any time to be amused by it though, because in that moment, Roza herself appeared at the end of the aisle. Clinging onto the arm of her father, Abe Mazur, she started to steadily walk towards me, a huge grin tugging at the corners of her lips._

_She was absolutely stunning, ethereal even._

_Her dress, while accentuating her perfect curves, was still very classy. The soft-looking fabric hugged her figure beautifully until just below her hips, where it spread out around her in a subtle way. I thought that they called them a-line dresses, but I wasn't certain. Decorated only slightly by lace and a few pearls, the dress was rather simple, but it made it all the better. I felt as though my heart had stopped. Abe, taking his daughter's hand from around his arm, placed it in mine as a blessing. However, Rose automatically pulled away. She let go of my hand, leaving me confused, and admittedly, a little bit hurt._

_Rose smiled playfully and reached behind my head. Yanking the tie out of my hair, she slid it on her wrist and intertwined her fingers through mine again._

_"I prefer it when you have your hair down," she answered, sensing my confusion. "Besides, I can tell that you're uncomfortable."_

_Shaking my head in amusement, I turned us around to face the priest, ready to finally get married to the woman I loved with all my heart. Rose nodded at the priest, motioning for him to move on with the service. It was a great one too, going off without a hitch. Ivan, our ring bearer, surprisingly hadn't lost the rings like I thought he would. Being three years old, he was slightly confused about what was going on, but was luckily still well-behaved._

_"If there be anyone present who may show just and lawful cause why this couple may not be legally wed, let him speak now or forever hold his peace." The priest announced, staring at the crowd gathered before him. Fortunately, nobody made any move to protest our marriage. "By the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife and what God hath joined together, let no man nor woman put asunder. You may kiss the bride."_

_Taking Roza's head in my hands, I pulled her towards me, gently kissing her on the lips. Or, at least, that was what I was supposed to do. However, like it always did between us, things heated up pretty quickly. Our lips continued to move in synchronisation and I cursed inwardly. I knew that I wasn't exactly being polite, but still I didn't pull away. I couldn't seem to make myself care. That was until Ivan stormed up to us. Clearing his throat and stomping his foot, Ivan made the guests laugh as he complained about us being embarrassing._

_"We're sorry, Ivan." I apologised, meaning it too. "How about we go to the reception now? There will be food there."_

_Nodding his head eagerly, Ivan ran down the aisle like a lunatic, pretending to be some kind of aeroplane. I sighed happily. He was back to his usual self again and, even though he was bonkers, I was relieved. He had been far too serious for my liking._

_"Hey!" Roza called, sprinting down behind him. "Wait for me, little man! I'm not going to let your greedy little paws take all of the good doughnuts."_

_I rubbed my forehead in embarrassment. It really was like taking care of two children. I didn't care though, because I loved them both just the way they were. Besides, Ivan had an excuse, he was only three years old. Roza, on the other hand, well... she was just being herself. Turning around to face the amused guests, I cleared my throat and asked them to join us at the reception._

* * *

_"What are you doing, cowboy?" Roza squealed as I pulled her onto the empty dance floor.  
_

_"It's time, Roza." I chuckled as the lights dimmed and the guests made a circle around us.  
_

_Our wedding day had been perfect. Roza was breath-taking, as always, the service was beautiful and everybody had turned up. In fact, it couldn't have gone any better. Hearing the song start to play through the speakers, I held Roza close to my chest as we began our first dance. She gasped and I couldn't quite contain my smirk. Two weeks earlier, she had given me the important job of picking out our first-dance song. Rose had insisted it was because she couldn't decide herself, however I thought that it was a test of sorts. Seeing her lips curl up into a contented smile, I was sure that I'd picked the right song.  
_

_I leaned down and started to sing along in Roza's ear, aware of the flashes and clicks of our families' cameras.  
_

_"I long to feel you, I feel this need for you. And I need to hear you, is that so wrong?"  
_

_I pressed my lips to her cheek, guiding her across the dance floor in time to the music. Rose stared up at me, her doe-like eyes watery and filled with love. However, there was something else in them too. Excitement. Excitement for something other than the wedding.  
_

_Raising my eyebrow questioningly, I watched as Rose shook her head. She didn't want to tell me, not yet.  
_

_"Why are you being so secretive?" I whispered, utterly confused.  
_

_"I didn't want to tell you here," she replied, looking at our audience to prove her point. "I was going to wait until later, but I'm so excited."  
_

_Leaving her to make the decision on her own, I twirled Rose around, grinning at her euphoric laughter. She would tell me in her own time, I was sure. We shared everything with each other, so there was no reason to push her for an answer. Suddenly, Rose reached up and grabbed my shoulders. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she fastened her lips to mine, capturing them in a passionate kiss that could've easily set the room on fire. Rose pulled away, too soon, and gazed up into my eyes. _

_A battle was plain to see in her brown orbs, making her face become distorted as it raged within her. Her more sensible side was reasoning, she had decided not to tell me until afterwards, so she should be strong and stick with her original plan. However, her child-like side was too impatient, did it really matter if I found out now or later? Suddenly, her scrunched up face slackened, serene once again.  
_

_She had come to a decision.  
_

_Standing up on her tip-toes, Roza rested her head on my shoulder, close enough to whisper in my ear.  
_

_"I'm pregnant, comrade." She whispered, making my heart stop and quicken at the same time.  
_

_I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. Ecstatic, I wound my arms around Roza's small frame, picking her up and holding her close to my body. Pregnant. Roza was pregnant. Cameras clicked and flashed, capturing the beautiful moment for us forever. Rose was going to have my child, there was going to be a new addition to our family. My heart soared.  
_

_Truly, my wedding day was the best day of my life._

* * *

**So... I decided to leave it here instead of at prison. I figured it was a nice end. So, thanks guys for reading! I'm sorry if it was too cheesy. I like a bit of cheese. **

**Hand in Hand should be up tomorrow at the latest.  
**


	6. The Baby Blues

**Hi there, sorry this is so late guys. I'm going through some really bad writers block. Anyway, thanks for your reviews and I hope you enjoy this!**

**It's not really my best chapter ever. Oh well, I didn't want to put off this chapter any more. :D  
**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

**"The Baby Blues"**

* * *

Adrian sighed and propped himself up against the cold metal bars. I could tell that he loved her, Rose, there was no doubt about it. Every facial expression, every word that came out of his mouth told me all that I needed to know. He was completely and utterly in love.

Oddly, I didn't resent him for that. Because as I looked into his eyes, I saw the pure affection, adoration and reverence that was reflected in my own. Instead, I was relieved. I had found somebody whom I could talk to about my Roza, somebody who would finally listen. Hopefully, a good ear would help me get through my days in jail, at least until I get my court hearing anyway. I sighed and placed a hand on my forehead.

"I'm sorry, Dimitri." Adrian began, his voice sorrowful. "I'm sorry for your loss. Rose was your soul-mate, your wife and nothing can compare to the love you feel for her, but you should know that I love her too. I just hope that she's okay."

I turned around and met Adrian's emerald eyes. He seemed frightened of something, of me, of what I'd do to him after hearing his blunt confession. I shook my head at him and smiled slightly.

"She will be," I assured him, though my words sounded fake like plastic. "Rose is the strongest woman I know. If anyone can pull through a coma, she can."

Adrian nodded, but he didn't seem reassured. Taking a deep breath, he changed the topic completely, not wanting to talk anymore about our lost love.

"Anyway, enough of that." He said, forcing a perky smile to grace his lips. "Tell me more, Dimitri. What was she like during her pregnancy? Seeing what she was like in high school, I'm guessing that she was a right pain."

I let out a small chuckle, the first since I had been arrested, and thought back to the time that she was pregnant. Adrian was right, Roza was a pain, but she was also a delight. Taking a deep breath, I began my tale, thankful that somebody was listening.

* * *

_"Dimitri and Rose Belikov?" A voice called, beckoning us into the small ultrasound room. _

_Out the corner of my eye, I could see Rose grinning eagerly at me. I jumped up from my seat, as eager and enthusiastic as her. Today we were both excited. It was the day that we were going to see our baby for the first time. I smiled. It was going to be fantastic.  
_

_Roza was fifteen weeks pregnant and her baby bump was defined, straining against her tight grey t-shirt like a balloon. I chuckled and grabbed her hand; we were going to have to go shopping soon, that was for sure, she was in dire need of maternity clothes. Leading her into the room, we were met by a beautiful young doctor with auburn hair and a crazed smile.  
_

_"Welcome, please get up on the bed and I'll apply the gel." The woman said, her smile increasing in size. "My name is Sonya Karp by the way."  
_

_Roza let go of my hand and wandered over to the bed, hitching her leg up on the mattress. However, even though she used all of her strength to pull herself up, she still wasn't able to get on. I chuckled and walked over to her, lifting her up by the waist and placing her on the cot. She huffed, frustrated that she needed any help at all, as she pulled up her top to expose her bump.  
_

_Sonya Karp walked forwards, wheeling the ultrasound machine behind her.  
_

_"Okay, this will be cold." She mumbled, squirting the gel onto Roza's stomach. "Sorry."  
_

_Rose squinted and clenched her teeth as the gel was being squirted onto her bump. It had to be freezing, and I shuddered myself when Sonya began to spread the gel with a wand. Clicking a few buttons on the machine, Sonya told us to turn our eyes to the screen. Roza propped herself up on her elbows to get a closer look. Narrowing our eyes at the sceen, what we saw made us both gasp in shock and love. _

_Small and almost unrecognisable on the screen before us, our baby was shown nestled in the usual foetal position, opening and closing its fists in wonder. I gawked. That was our baby on the screen, and it both frightened and amazed me. I glanced over at Roza, who was staring at our baby, mouth open slightly in awe. I felt exactly the same. Trapped in our beautiful moment, Roza and I were shocked when Sonya suddenly let out a gigantic giggle.  
_

_"There's your baby!" She enthused, tapping the screen with one of her long, thin fingers. "Isn't it wonderful? You'll be able to find out the sex in a few weeks!"  
_

_I reached out for Roza's hand, entwining our fingers so that we were connected. In return, she squeezed my hand lightly and stared up into my eyes. Just like that, I knew and understood what she was trying to tell me.  
_

_"I think we're going to keep it a surprise." I told our doctor with a grin on my face. "We don't want to know whether it's a boy or a girl."_

* * *

_"Dimitri!" Roza screamed, her voice filled with the utmost pain.  
_

_I instantly dropped the pan of eggs that I'd been cooking and seized up with terror and panic. Sprinting out of the kitchen at full speed, I hoped that Rose hadn't gone into early labour or worse. My heart sped up to unbearably high speeds, beating against my ribcage like a drum. I was sure that the whole world could hear it, it was that loud.  
_

_Having finally reached the living room, I searched around frantically for my love. However, since I was expecting Rose to be in pain, I was surprised to find her sitting cross-legged in front of the television, wearing one of my old t-shirts as a night gown. I raised my eyebrow at her, confused to say the least. She didn't seem to be in any pain, but she did look frustrated.  
_

_"What's the matter, Roza?" I asked, surveying her body for any cuts or bruises. "Why were you screaming?"  
_

_Rose huffed and held up a bowl, pouting with her red lips as she tipped the dish, revealing that it was empty. Oh. She wasn't in any pain, she had run out of food. I rolled my eyes at her and took the bowl from her hands.  
_

_"You were screaming because you have no ice-cream left?" I said incredulously. "Really?"  
_

_Staring at me in disbelief, Rose placed her hands on her hips and pursed her lips angrily. Since she was around six months pregnant, her mood swings and cravings had become atrocious. One minute, Rose was happy and excited, but the next she would start crying and screaming at me. It was hard to keep up with. However, I never got annoyed by her change in moods. In fact, it was just endearing to me, her whole pregnancy had made me love her even more, which I'd thought to be impossible. Every kick, every scan, every craving was amazing to me.  
_

_Roza was carrying my baby.  
_

_"I need more ice-cream, Dimitri." She explained slowly, dragging her words out like I was incompetent. "I'll just die if I don't get any."  
_

_I nodded, secretly thinking that she was being melodramatic, and turned around to head into the kitchen. However, before I could get to the door, Rose's voice stopped me, pulling me back into the living room.  
_

_"If there was any ice-cream in the freezer, don't you think I would have gotten it myself, cowboy?" She laughed. "I thought I was being obvious. I need you to go down to the store to pick some up."  
_

_It did make sense, but still she hadn't made it that obvious. I would never tell her that though, in fear that I'd lose a limb or something. Rolling my eyes at her antics for the second time that day, I kissed the top of her head and picked up my car keys. Just as I was about to walk out of the front door, Rose grabbed onto my forearm, having followed me out into the hallway.  
_

_"Oh, since you're already going, do you mind picking up some pickles?" She requested, her eyes deadly serious.  
_

_I wrinkled my nose up, wondering what monstrosity of a meal she was going to prepare next. In fact, her cravings had gotten so bad that I'd had to take over lunch-packing duty. One day, Ivan had opened up his lunch-box at school, expecting his usual cheese baguette. However, instead he took a bite out of a chocolate and egg sandwich, which understandably made him green with nausea. I shuddered just thinking about it. Poor kid.  
_

_"Why do you want some pickles?" I questioned, though I wasn't sure whether I wanted to know the answer.  
_

_"I used the last jar on my peanut butter sandwich. And besides," she smiled, looking up at me through her long lashes. "Pickles are great with ice-cream."  
_

* * *

_I pushed along the trolley with one hand, while the other was tightly holding Ivan's.  
_

_Roza, Ivan and I were all doing a bit of shopping. Seeing as the baby was due any day now, we needed to get the same old essentials. Taking the crumpled list out of my back pocket, I called out to Rose, telling her what we still needed to get.  
_

_"We just need to get some diapers, baby formula and some talcum powder." I said, tucking the piece of paper back in my pocket. "I'll go and get the talcum powder and diapers, if you go and get the formula. Is that okay?"  
_

_She nodded, satisfied with her mission.  
_

_"I've got my cell phone if you need me." I told her and kissed her forehead, dragging Ivan along behind me as we headed towards the correct aisle.  
_

_Since the powder and diapers were in the same aisle, it was pretty easy to find what I needed. Throwing the items carelessly into the trolley, I started to head towards the shelves of formula in search of Roza. However, when I finally arrived, my heart seemed to stop.  
_

_There, chatting with my Roza, was Tasha Ozera.  
_

_Grabbing a hold of Ivan, I picked him up and balanced him carefully on my hip. I didn't want to go over there, especially since I had my son with me, however I wanted to make sure Rose was alright. I couldn't leave her. Pushing the trolley over to my wife, I kept my eye on Tasha to gage her reaction. Oddly enough, she was shocked, but also curious. Her mouth was agape as she stared at Ivan in wonder. She hadn't seen our son since she'd abandoned him on my doorstep, so I didn't understand why she was so interested. I thought that she didn't care, she had left him after all. _

_"Mommy," Ivan cried, opening and closing his fists for emphasis. _

_Tasha, thinking that he meant her, leapt forwards enthusiastically and held her arms out wide. I scowled. Why did she care all of a sudden? Ivan stared at Tasha in confusion for a moment, before jumping into Rose's arms. Stumbling from the impact, she started to wobble slightly, but I managed to steady her. I shot Ivan a look, and it spoke a thousand words. He needed to be more careful with Rose.  
_

_Roza held Ivan close to her body as she stared at Tasha in confusion. I laughed slightly, though there wasn't anything remotely humorous about the situation. Winding my arm around my wife's waist, I tugged her closer to my side as I regarded Tasha with a glare.  
_

_"What are you doing here, Tasha?" I asked, hearing Rose's surprised gasp at the familiar name.  
_

_"I'm doing my shopping, obviously." She stated. "What do you think I'm doing?"  
_

_Rose glanced up at me, her eyes wide with fear. She didn't want Ivan to meet his real mother, and neither did I. Tasha was a cruel and manipulative woman, but she could definitely make someone as impressionable as Ivan like her. That would be absolutely no problem for her, which was why we were so hesitant for him to meet his biological mother. Tasha was wicked, unbelievably so, and I didn't know why I had fallen for her in the first place. However, I think that, like Ivan, I was just very vulnerable to her charms.  
_

_"I'm here for something completely different now, Dimka." she purred, stepping even closer to me and my family. "Can I meet our son?"  
_

_Roza clutched Ivan closer to her chest, her eyes flashing with white-hot rage.  
_

_"There's no way in hell that I'm letting you get anywhere near him." She spat, her maternal instinct overpowering her. "You made your decision, now live with it."  
_

_"Oh, I'm sorry." Tasha mocked, placing a hand over her heart. "Do you have any right to keep my son away from me?"  
_

_I started to growl, frustrated and furious at the woman before me. Pushing Roza behind my body, I stepped up to Tasha, hoping that I was even a little bit threatening.  
_

_"Actually, Tasha, she does." I said, placing my hands on my hips. "Since you abandoned Ivan, Rose was able to adopt my son without your consent. Now, if you'll excuse us."  
_

_Grabbing onto Roza's hand, I pulled her along beside me as I wheeled the trolley towards the checkout. We needed to get home, and quick, because stress wasn't the best thing for the baby. Tasha couldn't have picked a worse time to make an appearance. I sighed. Ivan, seeing my distress, climbed down from Rose and helped me to put all of our groceries onto the conveyor belt.  
_

_I turned to Rose and placed my hand on her large bump.  
_

_"It won't be long now, Roza."  
_

* * *

_Roza cuddled up closer to me, as close as her baby bump would allow, as we watched one of her romantic comedies in our living room. Bored and nauseous from the sickly-sweet movie, I turned to face my wife, deciding to just focus on her instead. First, I started to play with her luscious hair. Winding one of her silky-smooth locks around and around my finger, I let the strand fall before starting the process all over again. However, I soon became bored of that too. I huffed, but then smirked mischievously. I knew just what to do.  
_

_Starting from her shoulder, I kissed my way up her neck and then back down again, making her shiver with the utmost pleasure. Trying to keep her eyes on the television, Rose finally gave up when my lips found the spot behind her ear.  
_

_"I'm trying to watch this movie, but you're being so__–____ oh,_" She gasped in shock, her eyes drifting towards her lap. "Ow."   


___Then, she started to scream.  
_

___Hearing her scream was the most frightening thing in the world to me, however instead of kicking into action like I was suppose to, I could only sit and stare at her. I must have been so shocked, because I didn't know what was wrong with Rose, even though she was nine months pregnant.  
_

___"What's the matter, Roza?" I asked frantically, searching around for the problem. However, I could see no cuts or bruises.  
_

___"I'm making a sandwich," she panted, drawing in breaths so quickly that I was sure she would hyperventilate. "I'm going into labour, you idiot!"  
_

___It took a while for the words to register in my mind, but as soon as they did, I felt myself almost burst with excitement. Leaping up from the sofa, I grabbed my cell phone from the side and dialled Christian's number. Annoyed that I had called him so late at night, Christian muttered a few expletives down the phone that would have usually made me wince. However, as soon as I explained what was happening, he brightened up and told me that they'd be at our house in a few minutes to look after Ivan. I gave my thanks and hung up, shoving the phone in my back pocket.  
_

___Giving Roza a reassuring kiss on the forehead, I sprinted up the stairs to collect everything that we needed. I picked up our hospital bag, the car keys, my wallet and our coats, before running back down the stairs to join my wife. It took all of thirty seconds. I was so panicked that I was moving at impossible speeds, not wanting to leave Roza on her own. Walking into the living room, I took her hand in mine, helping her to ride out her next contraction. Seeing as she had a death-like grip on my hand, I knew that it had to be painful for her.  
_

___"Christian and Lissa are nearly here, Roza." I whispered, trying my best to soothe her. "We'll get going in a couple of minutes, I promise."  
_

___She nodded, incapable of words, just as the doorbell went.  
_

___It was time to go to hospital.  
_

* * *

___I held our baby girl in my arms as Roza slept, rocking her back and forth, back and forth repeatedly, trying to make her fall back asleep. However, she was being stubborn, just like her mother. It was strange because she looked like Rose too. In fact, the resemblance was uncanny. She was beautiful, just like my Roza. I watched, enthralled, as our baby girl raised her arms up into the air, staring with a confused look on her face as she opened and closed her fists._

___I smiled down at her when she took my finger in her small hand, latching onto it for dear life. It was a sweet moment, one that I would probably remember forever.  
_

___"That is so sweet," Roza croaked, mirroring my thoughts exactly. "I wish I had a camera."  
_

___Laughing at her comment, I sat down on the edge of the hospital bed, swinging my legs up so that I was sitting right next to my wife. Rose cuddled up to my side, holding onto my arm to get a closer look. She gasped.  
_

___"She looks so much like me!" She exclaimed, running her hand through our baby's tufts of dark hair. "I didn't realise before, what with being so exhausted and everything."  
_

___I nodded my head, agreeing with her completely. Rose let out a big yawn and I smiled, she was still tired, I could tell. Though, I couldn't blame her, she had just given birth and it seemed very painful. Kissing her gently on the forehead, I told her to get some much-needed rest. Luckily, instead of being stubborn like usual, she agreed with me and rested her head against my shoulder, drifting off into a peaceful sleep.  
_

___All was peaceful and calm in our hospital room, that was until Ivan came bursting through the door anyway.  
_

___Storming up to the bed, our son had a look of outrage on his face as he placed his hands on his hips and glared up at me. I was surprised that Roza hadn't woken up yet. Then again, she never had been a light sleeper.  
_

___"I want to see my little sister or brother," Ivan ordered, stomping his foot to emphasise his point. "I can't believe you left me at home."  
_

___I couldn't help but laugh at the ferocious little man before me. Even though he was only four years old, he looked ready to murder somebody. Patting the empty spot on the mattress directly in front of me, I watched in amusement as he tried to get up on the hospital bed. Seeing as I already had a baby in my arms and an unconscious woman on my shoulder, I couldn't help my son up. Raising my eyebrows, I motioned to a nearby plastic chair, telling him to push it over to the bed.  
_

___Ivan did as he was told and nudged the chair over to the end of the bed. Getting up on the plastic piece of furniture, he managed to crawl onto the mattress, heading over to me and his sister.  
_

___Curious and intrigued, Ivan craned his neck to get a better look at the pink bundle in my arms. However, I hid her from sight and told him to open his arms up wide. Doing as I said, Ivan held out his arms and gasped when I placed his sister in them, though I did still keep a hold of her. I didn't want to take any chances, I knew exactly what Ivan was like.  
_

___"Ivan, meet your little sister." I said, watching happily as he smiled down at the little baby in his arms. "We don't have a name for her yet, though."  
_

___"I have a name," Ivan stated, his head shooting up to look at me. "When you and Mommy were talking about names, Babushka told me that she was going to call you Kaiya if you were a girl. I like the name Kaiya."  
_

___I stared, shocked, at my four year old son. He sounded so intelligent, the fact that he even remembered my mother telling him that was amazing in its self. Rubbing my forehead, I grinned at Ivan and pulled both him and his sister onto my lap.  
_

___"As long as your mother likes it, then Kaiya it is."_

* * *

Adrian stared at me and I could tell that he was confused.

"What the hell happened to you guys?" He said, scratching the nape of his neck in discomfort. "You seemed like a happy family."

I nodded, because we were. We were a happy family. We had our ups and downs, sure, but every family had small arguments. If I had to pinpoint the exact moment when everything started to go wrong, it would probably be when Tasha made that first appearance. After that, the woman wouldn't stop hounding us. Every corner we turned, she was there, like a stalker that couldn't be shaken. It was debatable whether her heart was cold or just non-existent. She didn't even think twice as she put an unimaginable strain on our family life, tearing us all to pieces.

I cleared my throat and took a deep breath.

"Tasha happened," I stated.

* * *

**Muahaha, sorry that this took so long! I hope you enjoyed it and I promise more action will happen in the next chapter. We've had lots of fluffy chapters, but now we get to see the evil, fire-breathing Tasha! **

**Anyway, review guys! I love to hear from you.  
**


	7. Voting has almost BEGUN

**Hello there! **

**First things first, I'm sorry I haven't updated in like... a billion, trillion years. However, my exams finish this week meaning that I'll have more free time! I'll start writing more chapters for this and Hand in Hand, but I won't be able to update Repentance until after the contest ends. **

**Next, voting has started for the contest that this is for. So, after voting has ended and stuff, I'll be able to finish this story. It's XxXLost-In-The-CrowdXxX's VA CONTEST. So yeah, voting starts January 25th Eastern Time. **

**A million, billion apologies and good luck to everybody involved!  
-TheBookShelf**


End file.
